Friday, May 4, 2012

ssg special: Rene Hell presents "a large house full of beautiful furniture, a library & many other rooms revisited"

Jeff Witscher’s music as Rene Hell is supple and intuitive; when it clicks into focus, it is also achingly beautiful. It demands your full attention. That’s its character.

Jeff’s many different works are not dance music, ‘cept maybe Cuticle. Nor is it ‘synth’ in a way that has by now become generic. The Terminal Symphony, which was my introduction, floored me with full, developed understanding. But it also possesses you, there’s an immediacy. The sound effects, they’re affective. But how they get from there to ear is really all about the approach: the fierce pursuit of intuition.

Check these three interview excerpts:

I had the cover [for The Terminal Symphony] in mind once the music was finished. It was my violin which I’d bought it at a thrift store. I was taking some photos of it and then just decided to smash it. It started looking a lot nicer then (read more).

I don't consciously do that many things in general. You just work with what you have and that defines everyone. That's when your character shows. I've seen dudes kill it with a plastic bag live. It's because or their vision.

I bought this motorcycle once that I probably shouldn’t have. It was a sketchy deal but I just needed to have it, so I rode off on that shit and got it up to 100mph about ten miles from the dude’s house & then just realized it wasn't such a good deal (read more).

...I want to explore the idea of sound, especially when rich with texture, requiring longer windows of time to sink in & define itself {again, duration}. once it’s removed or transitioning you feel its power & how it was controlling you (read more).

This is as good an introduction to the mix Jeff has given us as any. I love the close attention to the recordings themselves, and the way they talk to one another. Spend some time with it, listen very closely, give yourself over to it and let it unfold.

ssg special - Rene Hell

For more ‘info’, check Jeff’s blog. Fans new and old should also note well a forthcoming split LP with Oneohtrix Point Never on NNA Tapes, entitled: In 1980 I Was a Blue Square

5 comments:

Love the musical aesthetic and commitment of Jeff Witscher, mainly as Rene Hell but also as Marble Sky.

His releases on Arbor and Ekhein are still very inspiring for me, and I had the chance to see him (and grab the 1st edition of his split with Pete Swanson btw) in Belgium for the Kraak festival, what a great day it was!

You guys have been keeping up with stuff akin to this nicely in the past year or so. But every time a Panabrite or Bee Mask (etc..) feature comes along (whether I know the artist already or not), I always find myself thinking "this is no Rene Hell. Why isn't anyone as good as Rene Hell?". So thanks for finally covering him. Or should I say, thanks to Jeff for finally sending you a mix.